Toastee



Ari! 27, 1937. D. L. HADLEY ET AL 7 2,073,652

' I TOASTER Filed Sept. 6, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l E: 75 HI I 67 if! 75 f7 WITNESSES:

at) I I Zegr [aw/z ApriE 27, 1937.

D. L. HADLEY ET AL TOASTER Filed Sept. 6 19 53 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 w w a .w W1. W A

April 27, 1937. D. L. HADLEY ET AL 2,078,662

TOASTER Filed Sept. 6, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ENTORS IN I /a Z. 4/ a 5.4% i &2.

Patented Apr. 27, 1937 start I Mrs PATENT OFFICE 'EGAS Application September s, 1933, Serial No. 688,303

a Claims. (or. 219-49) Our invention relates to domestic electric heating devices and particularly to electric toasters.

One object of our invention is to provide an electric toaster that shall embody a minimum number of parts and shall be so designed that it can be easily and quickly assembled.

Another. object of our invention is to provide a vertical toaster of the completely enclosed type that shall have a pleasing appearance.

Other objects. will either be evident from the description to be hereinafter given of a device embodying our invention, or will be specifically pointed out.

In practicing our invention we provide a structure including a hollow base, aframe of substantially U-shape located thereon in an inverted position, a combined heating element support and bread rack extending between the base and the top of the frame, and a pair of trays having pivotal engagement with the base and adapted to be swung away from and back toward the frame of inverted U-shape.

In the drawings accompanying'the application, I

-Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a vertical toaster embodying our invention. Y

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation thereof with one of the trays shown in. opened position.

Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section therethrough taken on the line IIIIII of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the base.

Fig. 511s aview, in side elevation, of the assembled heating element and bread rack.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view taken on the line VI-VI of Fig. 5.

Fig. i is a view similar to Fig, 6 but showing a modified construction.

Fig. 8 is a view, in perspective, of the frame of inverted U-shape.

of similar devices.

Fig. 9 is a view in perspective of one tray, together-with the bread support and an actuating knob secured thereto, and

Fig. 10 is a view in section of a part of the details shown in Fig. 9, taken on'the line X X thereof.

Our invention has particular reference to vertical toasters of the type in which a movement .away from and toward the assembly of one or the other of two trays results in reversing the position of a slice of bread being toasted. Certain details of our invention are, however, not limited thereto and are applicable to other forms Referring to the structureas'shown more particularly. in Figs. 1 and Z of the drawings, our

device includes a substantially flat-top, hollow base H which may be of substantially rectangular form and whose side portions or flanges are of a shape to cooperate with the other parts of the toaster structure to present a pleasing appearance. A frame shown in detail in Fig. 8 and designated by the numeral l3 comprises a plate of substantiallyinverted U-shape and 01? varying width and has the edges of its end portions resting upon the hollow base ii. The toaster embodies further a heating element l5 shown in elevation in Fig. 5 of the drawings, and also two swingable trays i! on the inside of each of which are mounted bread slice supports i9.

Referring first to the hollow base, a topplan view of which is shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, it may be noted that we provide two spaced openings 2i atone end of the longer dimension of the base and three such openings designated by. numeral 23 at the other end of the hollow base H, which openings are adapted to receive lugs 25 at the endofone leg portion of frame I3 and lugs 21 at the end of the other leg portion of frame l3, these extensions or lugs being adapted to be bent over against the bottom surface of the, top of base Ii to firmly secure frame member i3 on the base. Base Ii is further provided with a plurality of spaced openings ,26 on the axial center line along the longer dimension of the base and a number of struck-up or bent-out portions 23 are provided, there being three of these adjacent to and inside each of the longer edges of base ii. I

The frame plate l8 of substantially U-shape, is

provided with a plurality of inner grooves therein designated respectively by numerals 29, 3i and 38,

as will be seen by reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings. These grooves which may be pressed into the frame I 3, provide substantially similar prolections on the outside of the frame as will be noticed particularly in Fig. 2 01 the drawings. It will be noted further that the intermediate. groove and projection are relatively narrower laterally than are the other grooves 29 and 33 and their corresponding outer projections.

The heating unit l5 includes in one form of our device, a top bar or strip 35 of thin metal, a bottom strip or bar 31 of thin sheet metal having extension'lugs 39 depending therefrom-which lugs are adapted to fit into and extend through the hereinbefore described openings 26 in the base. The upper edge of top plate 35 is shaped to fit into the groove 3| in the intermediate or midportion of frame l3, whereby theheating element is securely held inits proper operative position in the upper plate 35 and the lower plate 37 a groove ti may be provided in the upper plate 35 and a similar groove :33 may be provided in the lower plate 3? although this is not essential.

In the form of the heater support shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, the bread .rack members 65, a plurality of which are provided, are integral with the top and bottom plate. The bars or strips 55 are bent or bowed alternately in opposite directions out of the central plane connecting the top and bottom plates 95 and 31,- to the shape shown more particularly in Fig. 3 of the drawings, whereby the members 45 on one side of the center line constitute a bread rack for a slice of bread at one side of the toaster, while the other members 5% on the other side of the central plate constitute a bread rack for a second slice of bread on the other side of the toaster.

We do not desire to be limited to a unitary structure and as shown in Fig. '7 of the drawings, members it similar to members 55 may be made separate from the top and bottom plates 35 and 3?, and have their upper and lower ends welded respectively to the upper and lower plates 85 and 3?. Element 05 includes further a plurality of micasheets or resistor-supporting plates 59 and.

hi on which are wound a resistor strip 53 in a manner well known in the art. The upper and lower ends of mica plates it and 58 are held in a position alined with plates 35 and 91 by means of portions 55, as shown in Fig. '6 .of the drawings, which may be bent outwardly from the plane of plate 35 and plate 3? respectively, and constitute a: part of arms 35 or, as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, they may be integral with plates 35 and ti, respectively.

Additional lugst'i may be provided on plate 3% i and similar lugs 59 may be providedon plate ti which may have end portions bent at right angles to the general plane of plates 49 and 5!, respectively, and extend through suitable openings at the top and bottom edges of mica plates 49 and 5! to assist in holding them in the positions shown in the drawings.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 2, 3 and 9 of the drawings, we have there illustrated one of the two trays i'l operatively associated with the resistor and it may be noted by reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings that the bottom of each tray is provided with a plurality of depending extensions or tongues 8! which are adapted toflt into openings 83 in the base ii that are adjacent to the struck-up portions 28 and at the outer edge thereof. The extensions'or lugs 6| on each of the r trays I? therefore constitute in cooperation with the openings $31 in the base, hinges for each of the trays, and itis to. be noted that the tongues El are bent slightly out of the plane of the main part of tray I! so as to cooperate with the struckup portions 28 to limit the downward turning movement of each of the trays relatively to the base. Each tray I1 includes a peripheral flange 65 extending around the top and the side edges of the tray. I

Means for supporting a slice of bread against the rack constituted by the plurality of bars 45 includes a bread support plate t1, one edge portion of which extends parallel to the inner face of a tray I! while the main part extends slightly.

angularly downwardly relatively to the other with two extensions II, only one Of w ich 5' aoraeee shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings, which extension is adapted to extend along the flange portion 65 Attention may be called to the rounded part of;

as with the more round portions of the flange 65 immediately adjacent to the sharper portion 19 in order to interlock the actuating handle or knob it with the tray, a short machine screw i1, bolt or rivet extending through one part of the knob it, through the flange 65 and through the extension ii. tray and also holds the support 61 in its proper operative position within the tray.

We find it desirable to provide resilient means for assisting the respective trays ii to return to their normal position, and for this purpose we provide a helical spring 89, whose mid-portion may be operatively engaged with plate 31, the two ends being secured respectively to the slice support 81 in the two trays ill. It is obvious from Fig. 3 of the drawings that the lever arm of spring it relatively to the trays is quite small when the trays are in their open position and we therefore wish to point out that the spring i9 is effective onlyduring the final closing movement of each tray to aid in its return to its normal engaged position. A very simple means of securing the ends of spring 779 to the respective support 6! may be constituted by bending out a narrow tongue ill as shown in Figs. 3 and 9 of the drawings, to which the end of the spring may be hooked as shown in that figure. A recess or notch 83 is provided at the bottom edge of each bread support 51 to receive the spring I9 when the tray is in its raised position.

Attention is further drawn to the fact that each side of frame 13 is provided with longitudinal flange portions 85 and 89 over which the flange 65 of each tray is adapted to fit to thereby provide a substantially complete enclosure within which slices of bread to be toasted'may be 10- No such cated during the toasting operation. flange is provided, however, at the top part'of the frame, whereby a narrow slot is provided between This construction holds the knob on the.

each tray and the mid-position of the frame. A

' than would be possible if the side of the tray were perforated.

While we have provided a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves 29, 3| and 33 and corresponding projections on the outside surface of member [3, we may for purposes of obtaining a more pleasihg appearance, provide a plurality of vertically-extending ridges 9| centrally of each tray i1 and in a plurality of arcuate projections 93 and 95, all as shown in Fig.1 01' the drawings;

The inner ends of the struck-up portions 28 are located so far above the top of base II that they provide openings in the base through which a small amount of air may enter the toaster structure, flow upwardly and leave through the slots 99 at the top 01 the structure, as shown in Fig. 3. A user of such a toaster can gauge the progress of the toasting operation by watching the toaster through the slots Sillln order to permit of energizing the resistor 53,

aovaees the toasting operation is completed, by the issuanceof a small'ambunt of vapor or smoke we'provide a pair of contact pins 9? insulatedly mounted adjacent to the bottom e of that side or frame it which is provided with the three lugs 2'8. While no mounting means or insulation is shown, it is to be understood that any desired mounting and insulating means may be utilized. We wish to call attention here to themvantage of using three lugs 21 at that edge of. the frame plate itcarrying the terminal pins 9?. It is possible that a poor contact may exist between the pins 97 and the sockets in a cooperating plug of the kind usually employed for this purpose and the temperature of the terminal pins '91 and of-a part of the frame plate. [3 may be relatively high,

which might tend to cause ,warping of a part of Y the irame'plate-IS immediately adjacent 'to the terminal pins 9!. The use of three lugs 27', each of which extend through suitable openings in the plate '28 will effectively prevent such lateral warpage. In case a relatively large amount of pressure is necessary to cause engagement between the connecting plug and the terminal pins 91, the intermediate lug 21 will tend to prevent bending of the middle of the end portion of member I! on which the terminal pins 01 are mounted.

The device embodying our invention thus provides a substantially entirely enclosed toaster structure including a relatively simple and easily and quickly assembled and disassembled heating element and bread slice support. This heating element is held at only its top and bottomedges,

' the top edge'thereof'fltting into a groove in a frame and the bottom edge being provided with a pair of spaced lugs extending through openings in the base. The "trays and bread slice supports have a relatively simple hinge structure in co operation with the base and, as hereinbefore noted, the-lugs Sit are made relatively long so that it is possible to raise a tray I! substantially vertically upwardly in order to easily and quickly effect removal of any bread crumbs which may have accumulatedon. the top S r ace of base ii near the bottom. plate 31 offthe heating unit. The hinge structure of the trays, particularly the tongues OI operate also as stop means,in combination with the inner surface of struck-upparts 28 of base II, to limit the downward turning movement of the trays. 1 various modifications may bemadein the device embodying ourv invention without departing .from the spirit and scope thereof, and it is desired, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are-imposed by theprior art,

or are set forth in'the appended We claim as our invention: a I 1. An electric toaster comprising a base, a frame plate'thereon, of inverted U-shape,-having claims.

I a'plurality ofgrooves formed in the under side of the horizontal portion thereof, snd a vertipally extending heating unit therebetween hav- "ing a tongue and slot engagement with the base,

the upper edge offsaid heating unitfltting into an'intermediate groove.

' U-shaDe "havin a centrally, along the inner side of its intermedi- 2. An electric toaster comprising a base. a frame thereon in the shape of a piateof inverted plurality of. grooves formed ate portion, one of said-grooves being of narrow lateral. dimension thanthe others, and a. heat ting unit extending between the base and the 7 of the unit in-proper operative. position.

- .the tray-actuating knob interflts with a frame, the upper end of the heating unit fitting closely in the narrower groove in the intermediate portion of the frame to hold the upper end 3. An electric toaster having a verticallyx tending heating unit" including a resistor, a supporting plate for the resistor, and a. single sheetmetal member constituting means for holding the resistor-supporting plate and slices of bread to be toasted in proper operative and relative positions, said single member including a horizontally extending top ,bar'and a horizontally ex- .tending bottom bar in substantially the same plane and having means for engaging and holding the resistor-supporting plateand also including a plurality of bars connected to the top and the bottom bar, extending therebetween and bowed laterally outwardly from the plane of the top and the bottom bar, certain of the bowed bars being bent toone side of the plane of the top and the bottom bar and other of the bowed bars being bent to the other side of the same plane.

4. A vertical toaster having a flat-top basetically extending heating unit thereon, a tray.

provided with a flange and having direct pivotal engagement with the base, and having its lower edge in engagement with the base when the tray occupies its closed position, a breadslice support inside of the lower end of the tray, a tray-actu-' ating knob on the outside of the tray flange and a single means for-securing the bread-slice support within the tray and the knob against the outside of the tray flange.

6. A device asset forth in claim 5 in which prede- ,ter,mined portion ofthe tray. i

7. .A vertical toaster including 'a base, a vertically-extending heating unit thereon, a tray provided with a flange and pivotally mounted on the base, and having its lower edge disposed close thereto, spread-slice support inside of the tray, a tray actuating knob on the 'outside of the tray flange, and a single holding means extending through the knob, the tray flange and the bread slice support to hold these members in proper operative positions relative to each other.

B-"A' vertical toasterincluding a hollow base, 'a

frame, of inverted U-shape, on the base, a combined heating element positioning means and diate part of the frame, a heating element in said means. a pair of bread trays directly piw 6 otally mounted on the base by a tongue; rid slot connection and engaging the frame to ooperate "therewith and the base to substantially entirely enclose the heating element, a knob on each of the trays to actuatethem away from and toward the frame. and resilient'means engaging the unitary. positioning means and the trays to yieldingly reslst'opening. movements of the trays.

-' DONALD L. HADLEY. v, nns'rna town. 

